Considered the capital of the Basque sport of pelota, Markina-Xemein offers great culinary variety allowing you to enjoy the local traditions. Search the town for the best fish recipes which, thanks to its proximity to the coast, includes a wide range of options. Order some good hake or classic monkfish, served grilled or roasted; both styles are popular when it comes to eating in Markina-Xemein.
If you want to experience the area’s most traditional flavors, be sure to order the best-known specialties: tuna stew with potatoes, cuttlefish in ink, and kokotxas (the bottom part of the whiskers of certain fish, often hake) in a green sauce. The most popular meat in Markina-Xemein is veal, usually served grilled alongside locally-grown produce such as tomatoes, peppers, or beans.
You can complete your feast with a nice tapa, like some famous Idiazabal cheese and a glass of Txakoli de Vizcaya, the Basque Country’s most famous wine. For a sweet finish, be sure to try the local pastries, exemplified by kokotes, a fine triangle-shaped pastry covered in cream.